Mitsu nudged the plant stem. “Actually, I have our entire plan together.”
“Oh?”
Mitsu placed a leaf on his head and concentrated. After a few moments, smoke exploded around him. Mitsu waved the smoke away from his eyes and nose. While he didn’t feel any different, the expression on Kitsu’s face said he had succeeded.
“I didn’t know you could transform into a human, brother!”
Mitsu shook his head. “I can’t. This is only an illusion similar to the one we used when we tricked that crane.”
“This is better! You are going to have to show me. I’m sure I can do it better, but first, you need to take a look at yourself.” Kitsu gestured at a nearby puddle.
Mitsu walked over to a small puddle nestled in the grass. A pale skinned, dark-haired woman stared back in the shallow water. Her dark eyes looked like two seeds from a gourd. Her hair fell around her face, cascading past her cheeks and stopping on her chest. Her bangs touched her eyebrows. Mitsu widened his eyes, and the reflected woman widened hers. He brushed his paw over his ear and watched his illusion hooked the long hair behind his ear. Mitsu grinned. “This is almost as good as Father’s transformation.”
Kitsu touched his brother’s shoulder, and the woman in the reflection shimmered and turned into a fox with a leaf on his head. Mitsu turned and glared at his brother.
“I had to be sure it was just an illusion,” Kitsu said. “I can’t have my little brother shape-changing before I can. Show me how you did it.”
“I will in a bit.” Mitsu turned away from the stone and walked to the wasabi plant. A few leaves extended from the top of the plant, and a few root tendrils fanned from the base. “So this is it? What does it do?”
Kitsu grinned. “Eat one of the leaves.”
Mitsu took a tentative sniff and recoiled. The leaves smelled so spicy they burned the inside of his nose. He sneezed. “Gah! Does it taste as bad as it smells?” His eyes watered. “What is it?”
“Wasabi. Oh, it’s not so bad.”
“I dare you to eat a leaf,” Mitsu said.
“We need as much as we can get for Old Tanuki.”
Mitsu grinned. “So you can’t eat it either.”
“I carried it here, didn’t I?”
“That is different from eating. If you don’t, I won’t show you how to look like a human. You can go as my pet cat or as a mouse.”
Kitsu frowned at his younger brother. “Fine. I’ll show you.” He puffed out his chest and stared at the plant.
“Well?”
“I’m looking for the spiciest part.”
“Who’s being a mouse now?” Mitsu asked.
Kitsu shook his head and bit off one of the largest leaves. He chewed and glared at his younger brother.
Mitsu laughed. “You look like a cow eating her grass!”
As Kitsu chewed, his eyes grew red and watered. His black nose flared and began to run. When he could take it no more he spat out the half-eaten leaf and lunged at the nearby puddle. He lapped the water, getting more on his fur and nose than inside him.
Mitsu laughed so hard his sides hurt.
When they both recovered—Kitsu’s nose still ran—Mitsu explained his plan. When he was finished he said, “Mother and Father will have to take us with them after this trick.”
Kitsu smiled. “Everyone will talk about this trick for years. Grouchy Old Tanuki will have to move to a new mountain after this.”
